Class A All-State: Rogalski ends special’ career

WHEELING - Class AA or Class A, it didn't matter. Stephen Rogalski was in a class by himself.

His football coach at Magnolia High School saw it from the very beginning, too.

"When we first saw him come on the field, we knew he was a special player," said Magnolia coach Mark Batton, who led the team to a Class AA state championship in 2010. "What a contribution he's made to the program as a whole."

Members of the West Virginia Sports Writers Association agreed, and today named the speedy wide receiver the offensive captain of the Class A All-State team.

Despite being double-teamed on a regular basis, the 5-foot-11 senior hauled in 62 passes in 2012 for 898 yards and six touchdowns. His yardage total exactly what it was in 2011, when he caught 59 passes.

"We always knew he had the ability," Batton said. "You could see that in the way he carried himself. He was a special person to coach."

Rogalski returned kicks as well, taking two punts and one kickoff back for touchdowns. He also rushed for 294 yards and four more TDs. Defensively, Rogalski made 35 tackles and had one interception.

Blue Eagles teammate Drew Keller, a junior, was one of three first-team running backs selected. The latest in a stellar group of family members to play at Magnolia, Keller rushed for a hair more than 1,300 yards and 12 touchdowns, and also also caught 25 passes for 348 yards.

Meadow Bridge junior running back Jake Parker leads the All-State backfield after rushing for a whopping 2,211 yards and 28 TDs. Wahama's Kane Roush churned out 1,543 yards and 22 TDs in helping lead the White Falcons to the Class A state championship.

The team Wahama beat in a thrilling title tilt, Madonna, had the first-team quarterback, junior Ross Comis. He rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns and threw for a shade more than 1,000 and 12 scores.

Wheeling Central junior C.J. Burch was selected as the offensive utility player. Thrust into the role of Maroon Knights quarterback because of a preseason injury to starter Parker Henry, Burch carried the ball 251 times for 1,637 yards and 21 TDs and threw for 763 yards and nine more scores.

Williamstown's Garrett Butler, last week named an all-stater in soccer, is the first-team kicker. He was 33 of 34 on extra-point attempts and converted six field goals, including a school-record 50-yarder.

The defense is captained by Wahama's Zack Wamsley. He made 91 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks and picked off a pair of passes from his linebacker spot. His field goal against Magnolia sent his team to the title game.

"He's been our leading tackler for three years," Wahama coach Ed Cromley said. "He's held our defense together. He's been a great leader."

The other linebackers are Magnolia's Kage Rohde (93 1/2 tackles), St. Marys' Derek Barnhart (75 1/2) and Tucker County's Mike Adkins (137). Wheeling Central's Braxton Nolte, a repeat selection, and Madonna's Nate Guio help make up a defensive line that also includes Tug Valley's Isaac Parsley.

Nolte made 97 stops for Central, while Guio had 66 tackles. Parsley registered 93 stops and had seven sacks for the Panthers.